A
Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a
defined issue in some monarchies. They have been held in the United
Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia. A Royal
Commission is similar in function to a Commission of Enquiry (or
Inquiry) found in other countries such as Ireland, South Africa, and
regions such as Hong Kong. It has considerable powers, generally
greater even than those of a judge but restricted to the terms of
reference of the Commission. The Commission is created by the Head of
State (the Sovereign, or his/her representative in the form of a
Governor-General or Governor) on the advice of the Government and
formally appointed by letters patent. In practice—unlike lesser
forms of inquiry—once a Commission has started the government cannot
stop it. Consequently, governments are usually very careful about
framing the terms of reference and generally include in them a date by
which the commission must finish.
Royal Commissions are called to look into matters of great importance
and usually controversy. These can be matters such as government
structure, the treatment of minorities, events of considerable public
concern or economic questions. Many Royal Commissions last many years
and, often, a different government is left to respond to the findings.

Notable royal commissions[edit]
Australia[edit]
In Australia—and particularly New South Wales—Royal Commissions
have been investigations into police and government corruption and
organised crime using the very broad coercive powers of the Royal
Commissioner to defeat the protective systems that powerful, but
corrupt, public officials had used to shield themselves from
conventional investigation.
Royal Commissions are usually chaired by one or more notable figures.
Because of their quasi-judicial powers the Commissioners are often
retired or serving judges. They usually involve research into an
issue, consultations with experts both within and outside government
and public consultations as well. The Warrant may grant immense
investigatory powers, including summoning witnesses under oath,
offering of indemnities, seizing of documents and other evidence
(sometimes including those normally protected, such as classified
information), holding hearings in camera if necessary and—in a few
cases—compelling all government officials to aid in the execution of
the Commission. The results of Royal Commissions are published in
reports, often massive, of findings containing policy recommendations.
(Due to the verbose nature of the titles of these formal documents –
for example, the Royal commission into whether there has been corrupt
or criminal conduct by any Western Australian Police Officer – they
are commonly known by the name of the commission's chair.) While these
reports are often quite influential, with the government enacting some
or all recommendations into law, the work of some Commissions have
been almost completely ignored by the government. In other cases,
where the Commissioner has departed from the Warranted terms, the
commission has been dissolved by a superior court.
Commonwealth of Australia[edit]
Main article: List of Australian Royal Commissions

Royal Commission in the matter of an inquiry into a statement that
there was a document missing from the official files in relation to
"The Brisbane Line" (1943)
Royal Commission on loss of HMAS Voyager (1964), investigated the
collision between HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Voyager
Royal Commission on the statement of Lieutenant Commander Cabban and
matters incidental thereto (1967–1968), investigated claims that the
captain of HMAS Voyager frequently drank to excess and was unfit for
command
Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security ("Hope Commission")
investigated the country's intelligence agencies (1974–1977)
Royal Commission on the activities of the Federated Ship Painters and
Dockers Union ("Costigan Royal Commission") (1980–1984),
investigated organised crime influences and drug trafficking in a
large trade union
Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking ("Stewart Royal
Commission") (1981–1983)
Royal Commission into British nuclear tests in
AustraliaAustralia (1984–1985)
Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (1987–1991),
investigated the allegedly disproportionate number of deaths of
Australian Aboriginals while in custody
Royal Commission into HIH Insurance (2001–2003), investigated the
collapse of HIH Insurance, then Australia's second largest insurance
company
Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry ("Cole
Royal Commission"), (2001–2003), investigated the conduct of
industrial relations within the building industry
Inquiry into certain Australian companies in relation to the UN
Oil-For-Food Programme ("Cole Inquiry"), (2005–2006), investigation
into the alleged participation of the AWB into the Oil for Food
program
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
(2013-2017)

Western Australia[edit]
See also: List of Western Australian Royal Commissions

Royal Commission into alleged killing and burning of bodies of
Aborigines in East Kimberley and into police methods when effecting
arrests ("1927 Wood Royal Commission"), (1927) investigating the
Forrest River massacreForrest River massacre of Indigenous Australians
Royal Commission into Commercial Activities of Government and Other
Matters ("
WA IncWA Inc Royal Commission") (1990–1992) investigated the
collapse of Bond Corporation, Rothwells, Bell Group, and other large
businesses in Western
AustraliaAustralia as well as government commercial
enterprises
Royal Commission into the use of Executive Power ("Marks Royal
Commission") (1995) to determine the circumstances of the tabling of a
petition in a family law case and the alleged misleading of WA
Parliament by Carmen Lawrence
Royal commission into whether there has been corrupt or criminal
conduct by any Western Australian Police Officer ("WA Police Royal
Commission"), (2002–2004) investigated high-level corruption in the
Western Australian police force

Northern Territory[edit]

Royal Commission into Juvenile Correction Facilities in the Northern
Territory (2016). On 25 July 2016 Prime Minister Turnbull announced a
Royal Commission will be established after an investigation by Four
Corners uncovered serious mistreatment of inmates within the Northern
Territory's juvenile detention system.

Canada[edit]
Main article: List of Canadian Royal Commissions
Ceylon[edit]

Colebrooke–Cameron Commission

Hong Kong[edit]

This section needs to be updated. Please update this article to
reflect recent events or newly available information. (January 2016)

Commission of Inquiry on Allegations relating to the Hong Kong
Institute of Education (2007)
Commission of Inquiry on the New Airport (1998–99)
Commission of Inquiry into the Garley Building Fire (1996–97)